Kosovo, Albanians, Serbs and Crimea
Recognition of Kosovo's "independence" will benefit Serbia, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti is sure. In an interview with journalist Kathimerini, he repeated this demand, but at the same time did not hide his desire to unite with Albania. However, Kurti is most concerned about the possible spread of the Ukrainian conflict to the Western Balkans.
Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti talks about unification plans, the problems of the Western Balkans and the future of Pristina.
Albin Kurti is a prime minister with a very unusual history. This former student activist spent two and a half years in a Serbian prison in 1999-2001. In 2007, he was thrown behind bars again, this time by the Kosovo authorities. And in 2018, he was convicted of carrying out and provoking at least five tear gas attacks on the Kosovo parliament, which he committed in order to stop a law giving limited autonomy to Kosovo Serbs.
In his first speech at the Delphic Economic Forum, held this month, Kurti called for the full recognition of Kosovo and its admission to the European Union and NATO, even without an agreement on the normalization of Serbian-Kosovo relations.
At the same time, he does not hide his desire to unite Kosovo with Albania in a peaceful way. He is not concerned about the instability that may arise from such a policy.
In his interview with Kathimerini, he repeated the demand for full recognition of Kosovo by Serbia, calling it a necessary condition of the agreement. The Serbs say that no Serbian politician will satisfy such a demand in the foreseeable future, because this will guarantee his removal from power. Kurti is most concerned about the possible spread of the Ukrainian military conflict to the Western Balkans.
– Your political project is that you want to unite Kosovo and Albania without granting any autonomy to the Kosovo Serbs. Is that true?
– I have been the Prime Minister of Kosovo for one year, and during this year pensions have increased by 11%, and disability pensions by 33%. We provide subsidies to mothers and children, and we do not discriminate on ethnic and religious grounds. We want to work closely with Albania, but not to the detriment of minorities. Albania and Kosovo are different states, but not two different peoples. Problems arise when Belgrade intervenes, seeking to undermine our statehood and weaken our institutions. Being stronger is a natural desire for us, because Serbia is much stronger than us.
– The Brussels Agreement of 2013, which provides for the creation of a community of Serbian communities in Kosovo – Pristina agreed to it, and Belgrade is not responsible for it.
– There are 33 agreements, two thirds of which Belgrade does not want to fulfill, insisting on the implementation of only this agreement. When I was in opposition, I opposed it, because that's not what the Kosovo Serbs are demanding.
– You even attacked the parliament with tear gas to prevent this...
– Yes, we have taken direct action against what was imposed on us. Not because I am a radical by nature, but rather in accordance with the theme. It was very clear to me: Kosovo is about to turn into a new Bosnia, an inoperable state. I was seriously worried. We rallied and did not allow this. Then the Constitutional Court rehabilitated us. He said that the community of Serbian communities in Kosovo is a violation of the letter and spirit of the Constitution. It has always been a project imposed from above, not initiated from below. There are no incidents between Albanians and Serbs. Serbia is another matter.
– Why do you think that everything will be fine with the Kosovo Serbs if your concept of the unification of Kosovo and Albania is implemented?
– I was elected prime minister because I promised jobs and justice. I think all Kosovo Serbs need work and justice, I don't think they are against me as prime minister. I have a Serbian minister, the Serbs are represented in all bodies, but Belgrade is putting strong pressure on them not to be betrayed to the Republic of Kosovo. We are fighting organized crime and corruption in a way that no one else in the region is doing. This year we have arrested 270 officials for corruption. Because of this, our Government inspires sympathy for minorities. I am the prime minister not only of Albanians, I am the prime minister of all. And Kosovo is making more and more progress.
– But you want to dissolve it in a big country.
– We want to strengthen our country. Our Constitution does not allow holding a referendum on unification with Albania. Our constitution was drawn up at the international level, there is an article there that does not allow us to join another country. This is very difficult to change.
– Then why do you say that you would vote for unification in a referendum?
– As I have already said, we are one people, and we cannot forget that the border between Serbia and Albania was imposed on us by Serbia and Yugoslavia. This is not our border. And when Serbia attacks Kosovo, we respond not only as Kosovo, we respond as the Albanian people, because Serbia has a very close ally in Moscow, and it is bigger than us. Therefore, we respond in such a way as to ensure a successful defense.
– In Serbia, I got the impression that the Serbs are sure that they have lost a lot of precious time with all these wars and now they want to make up for lost time by turning the page and establishing economic cooperation in the region. Why are you talking about attacks?
– In the spring of 1999, the Serbs carried out Operation Horseshoe, expelling 80% of Albanians from their homes. After the war, the same operation is carried out near Kosovo in the form of 42 forward bases. In the past, the Kremlin mentioned us no more than once a month, but now it falsely compares Kosovo and Crimea every other day. During his last, nineteenth meeting, held in November, [Serbian President Alexander] Vucic and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin talked about "double standards and hypocrisy in international relations," and Vucic showed Putin the northern part of Kosovo [areas inhabited by the Serbian minority] on a map. Why did he do that? That's why we're in danger.
– It seems that you are not very keen on dialogue. What is your opinion on normalization efforts?
– I met with President Vucic twice – in June and July last year. We have one agreement on mutual recognition of car license plates. I am creative, constructive and determined. I want to make this agreement. But it must be mutually recognized, this is its basis. US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken are also very clear. Officials in Brussels, if you talk to them for more than five minutes, they immediately declare that it is impossible to bypass independence. Recognition of our independence will benefit Serbia, because the next generation will grow up without this hegemonic dream of returning Kosovo to Serbia.
– If there is an opportunity to normalize relations, but it is hushed up, problems may arise that could have been avoided. Are you generally concerned about the impact of your policies on regional stability?
– With our government, peace, security and stability have become more, not less. I will not allow Kosovo Serbs to be harmed because of their nationality. Our police there act in the interests of everyone. I say to Belgrade: "The Milosevic regime has lost Kosovo. Why don't you distance yourself from this issue?"
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– Is there a risk of destabilization in the Balkans due to the situation in Ukraine?
– I think the Kremlin sees three potential points for the conflict to spread. These are Moldova, Georgia and the Western Balkans, including Bosnia, Kosovo and Montenegro. In the western Balkans, they can entrust Serbia with conducting operations, and in Georgia and Moldova they will have to use force. Therefore, I am worried about our region, and especially for our country. In 2012, there were two joint military exercises of Serbia and the Russian Federation. In 2016, there were 50 of them, and last year – 100.
– But how likely is such a scenario?
– I don't know. I noticed how Putin is cutting off his escape routes. That's why we're worried.
Author: Eurydice Bersi